# Smallpdf vs Local PDF

The clearest difference is price: Smallpdf at Free against Local PDF's $9.99. Smallpdf also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). Local PDF's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and review sentiment (100% vs 68%). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Smallpdf is free to download; Local PDF costs $9.99 up front. Smallpdf sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Local PDF asks for nothing beyond the download.

Smallpdf ships an update every 2 weeks, Local PDF every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smallpdf | Local PDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallpdf-scanner-and-pdf-editor/id1485259500/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 67.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 112 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Smallpdf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485259499) | [Marco Tini](https://appshunter.io/developer/544232459) |

## What reviewers say

### Smallpdf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallpdf-scanner-and-pdf-editor/id1485259500)

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools to manage PDF documents. Easily convert, edit, compress, sign, merge, and scan PDFs using your mobile device. It also features OCR technology to convert scanned documents into editable text.

**Highlights:** Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PPT, JPG, PNG, Edit PDFs with text, images, and annotations, Compress PDFs to reduce file size, Sign PDFs electronically, Merge multiple PDF files, Scan documents to PDF with OCR, Fill out PDF forms

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $11.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $14.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $107.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $107.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 💡 Useful features
- 🔒 Secure
- 🆓 Free to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes
- 💰 Paid version required for full functionality
- 🤔 Confusing account management
- 🤯 Missing key features
- 🤖 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Files not saving properly
- Conversion issues with larger documents
- Unexpected crashes and freezes
- Compatibility problems with older devices
- Incorrect file content after compression

**Requested features**

- Add more color options for annotations
- Improve search functionality for saved documents
- Enhance iPad compatibility
- Allow inserting images into PDFs
- Provide better file management and organization


### Local PDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/local-pdf/id6740003063)

Manage and edit PDF documents securely on your device without needing an internet connection. Features include page manipulation, metadata editing, password protection, and file compression, all within an intuitive interface.

**Highlights:** Offline PDF management, Page rotation, splitting, and merging, Metadata viewing and editing, Password protection and removal, PDF file compression, Advanced page preview, Dark Mode support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smallpdf free?

Smallpdf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Local PDF free?

Local PDF costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Smallpdf or Local PDF have ads?

Neither Smallpdf nor Local PDF shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smallpdf or Local PDF?

Smallpdf ships an update every 2 weeks, and Local PDF every 4 months. Most recently, Smallpdf was updated on November 1, 2026 and Local PDF on October 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*